Content
Grayish-lilac row or gray-blue row is a mushroom of the genus Lepista, known under several Latin names: Clitocybe glaucocana, Rhodopaxillus glaucocanus, Tricholoma glaucocanum. The species is classified as conditionally edible. The color of the fruiting body darkens after precipitation, and the structure becomes hygrophanous.
Where do grayish-lilac rows grow?
The grayish-lilac row is not common; it prefers places on a thick layer of leaves or needles. Selects light, fertile, well-aerated soils with moderate moisture. The mycelium is located close to the ground surface, so often accumulations of the species can be found in nettle thickets, among low-growing bushes. For full fruiting, constant air temperature, partial shade and moderate humidity are required.
It settles not only in dense forests, but also in tall grass along the banks of rivers and reservoirs. Less common on the sides of forest roads and paths. The main condition necessary for growth is a thick layer of leaf or coniferous cushion. It bears fruit in early autumn and forms numerous colonies arranged in rows or semicircles. The main distribution area in Russia is the Urals, Siberia and the Central part. Less common in the Leningrad and Moscow regions.
What grayish-lilac rows look like
Features of the species include variability in the color of the fruiting body depending on age and level of seasonal precipitation. At low humidity the color is pale, gray-blue, in young specimens it is smoky. After rain, the mushroom accumulates moisture and becomes dark purple or lilac in color.
External description of the grayish-lilac row:
- the mushroom is small in size, the average diameter of the cap of a ripe specimen is 15 cm, rarely a little more;
- the shape at the beginning of growth is cylindrical with a convexity in the center, over time the cap opens and becomes flat with a depression in the middle;
- the edges are uneven, wavy or lobed, concave;
- the surface is smooth, velvety in dry weather, slippery and oily during rains;
- the pulp is white, dense, thick, during rains it becomes loose and brittle;
- the plates are densely located, at the base of the cap there are rudimentary ones, reaching to the middle;
- the plates are long, tightly fixed with wavy edges, there is no clear boundary at the transition to the stem;
- the color of the lamellar layer is violet, gray or lilac, more saturated than the upper part of the cap.
The leg grows up to 8 cm, of medium thickness. Central, cylindrical, solid. The structure is fibrous, club-shaped in the lower part, with attached light lilac mycelium. Surface with a finely scaly coating. The color is one-color, matching the color of the plates or a shade lighter.
Is it possible to eat grayish-lilac rows?
The species belongs to the conditionally edible group. There are no toxins in the chemical composition. Fruit bodies are suitable for any method of preparation and processing.
It completely collapses after boiling. Therefore, grayish-lilac rowing is used only after heat treatment.
Taste qualities of the grayish-lilac row mushroom
The fruit body has dense pulp with a sweetish taste. The grayish-lilac row has a pleasant floral aroma.
Cooked dishes completely retain the taste of the mushroom. After processing, the smell is present, but it is not as intense as in raw specimens.
Benefits and harm to the body
The mushroom contains vitamins, microelements, and amino acids. Row protein is not inferior in composition to protein of animal origin; fats and carbohydrates are present in small quantities, which ensures a low calorie content of the product.Eating mushrooms enriches the body with substances necessary for normal functioning, without leading to the accumulation of excess weight.
Useful qualities of grayish-lilac rowing:
- improves digestion processes;
- enriches the blood with iron;
- participates in the functioning of the endocrine system;
- restores liver cells;
- improves brain activity, strengthens the immune system.
Harm from rowing:
- in case of individual intolerance, it causes an allergic reaction.
- cannot be used without preliminary heat treatment;
- not recommended for people with gastritis, pregnant and lactating women.
False doubles
The species has no inedible counterparts. Externally, the violet row is similar to the gray-blue row.
The nutritional value of the species is the same. The places of distribution and the time of fruiting coincide. The double has a brighter violet color of the spore-bearing layer and a leg with lilac fragments. The pulp is permeated with purple fibers.
The lilac-legged row is an edible mushroom with a longer fruiting period. The first colonies appear in early summer, growth resumes after precipitation, and collection continues until the end of September.
Grows in pastures, forest clearings, and near water bodies. Not found in dense thickets. The double is distinguished by a beige or light brown cap and a blue leg.
Collection rules
Do not collect old specimens, because when the protein decomposes, toxic compounds are released, and the fruiting bodies can cause poisoning. Grayish-lilac rows damaged by insects or slugs are not suitable for processing. It is not recommended to harvest in unfavorable ecological zones near industrial enterprises, landfills, and federal highways.Mushrooms accumulate harmful substances from the atmosphere and soil and can cause intoxication.
Use
The grayish-lilac row is a rarely seen species. It grows every year in the same place. After processing, mushrooms can be fried, used to make soup, or stewed with vegetables. Suitable for salting, marinating, freezing. Fruiting bodies are not used for harvesting in dried form.
Conclusion
The grayish-lilac row is a conditionally edible mushroom of universal use. Grows in groups on leaf or coniferous litter. It bears fruit in late summer and is found among dense bushes and nettle thickets on fertile soil with moderate humidity.
